Get to know locally-based brand Full of Joy Yoga. This post is one in our series of stories behind the brands we carry that are based in the tristate area.
Lani Rosen-Gallagher is just the type of person you want to see make products for kids. With her extensive background in teaching, you know she has seen it all in the classroom, and lives to inspire our children. She grew up in New Jersey and has spent most of her adult life around NJ, NYC, and Connecticut.
Founder Name: Lani Rosen-Gallagher
Name of business/product: Full of Joy Yoga/Mindful Yoga Breaks fullofjoyoga.com
Items carried at Hazel:Mindful Yoga Breaks Card Deck
1. What inspired you to start your business? I started as a first grade teacher in Brooklyn NY over 20 years ago. I struggled to get my students to focus so I started practicing yoga with them (I was already a practicing yogi). I noticed that when we would take these breaks in the lessons, in the hallway, outside, etc, it would allow them to re-group, re-charge, re-focus and self-regulate. I loved bringing the yoga to my classroom so I decided that was what I wanted to do full time. While I was still teaching, I got my 200 hour Yoga Certification and then multiple kids yoga certifications. I left NYC for San Francisco and started my business Full of Joy Yoga in 2004. I've been in New Haven, CT since, and have been working in schools all over the area. As well as facilitating Kids Yoga teacher trainings and workshops for teachers. I started Mindful Yoga Breaks as a side project of Full of Joy Yoga a few years ago. It started as a curriculum to bring to the schools in the school day. One teacher told me I needed visuals like a poster and cards to go with the breathing exercises I was teaching them- and that is how the anchor breath poster and card decks were born. I now have a creative partner - Jen Byer of YoPlay Yoga 4 Kids. Together we are creating more products and an online workshop and other tools for teachers and parents to use to help kids get calm, focused and be able to self-regulate.
2. What do you love about Jersey City? I am a Jersey girl! I grew up in Old Bridge and have loads of friends all over NJ. My aunt actually is living in Jersey City Heights at the moment.
3. What makes your product unique?The breaths are fun and they actually work! Kids love when I bring out my cards- especially the superhero breaths. They make anyone feel strong & powerful and are fun to do!
4. What age child is perfect for your product?3-11 is ideal, but older kids, parents and teachers can definitely use them too.
5. What do customers tend to like about your product? I've heard from parents that their kids have picked one of the breaths that they love and do that one when they need to calm themselves. I've also heard from teachers that their students look forward to doing the anchor breaths every morning in morning meeting. The superhero ones resonate the most- kids LOVE to come and show me the one they love- and lately it's been the Wonder Woman breath- which I find timely.
6. Favorite local family activity? We actually love to go to local breweries with our friends- a lot of them are geared to families with games and bigger spaces for the kids to play. There is something for everyone! We have a 6 yr old and have started going on hikes- that has been a family favorite lately.
7. What can customers expect from your brand in the future? Anything exciting coming or news to share?Yes! My partner Jen and I are working on some online workshops but we also are creating mini lesson plans with videos that teachers can use in their classroom with all the breathing exercise cards. We are super excited about it! We are also updating the card deck with a few new breaths. The newer version the card deck also comes with a dice game so Hazel Baby may need to get some of those the next time around!
